Bang Gang (26 page)

I grabbed her hands under the covers, squeezed hard, and we were teenagers again, sleeping over and drinking too much wine.

“So, when are you booking back in?” she asked. “Don’t even try and pretend it was a one-off.”

My heart was pounding at the thought. I had thought about it, too. Couldn’t keep my mind off it all the way home.

“I can’t,” I said. “I can’t blow Pop’s money on getting laid, no matter how incredible it was.”

“Like hell you can’t.”

“No,” I said. “I can’t. I just can’t. I’m four hundred down and an
experience of a lifetime
up. It’s done, that’s me out.”

“And Trent? What about Trent?”

I shrugged. “I guess that’s done, too. Why wouldn’t it be?” I heard footsteps on the landing, the familiar sound of a half-asleep Ruby clomping her way down the stairs. The TV sounded up through the floor.

“I can get up with the girls,” Tonya said. “You get yourself some sleep.”

I shook my head. “You’ve done enough. Time to put my
mum
hat back on and get with the schedule.” I slipped my legs out of the covers, hissed out breath as I got to my feet. “There’ll be more milk on the kitchen floor than there will be on her cereals if I don’t get my ass downstairs.”

Tonya sat up in bed, stretched her arms with a groan. “Fuck cereals,” she said. “Let’s go get a proper breakfast, you can sit on the other side of the counter for once.”

The rumble in my stomach answered for me.

Lorraine took our order with a smile. Four full English breakfasts coming up.

“How come Mia gets a grown-up breakfast?” Ruby moaned.

“Because Mia’s a lot bigger than you are, even if her mouth is smaller.” I ruffled her hair.

“A young woman now,” Tonya said. “Practically a teenager.”

Mia smiled an
Autumn Berry
smile. A full face of makeup courtesy of my new cosmetics stash and Tonya’s makeover skills. She looked so much older with a bit of eyeshadow, my little girl growing up so fast. A felt a pang of sadness. It
only seemed five minutes ago she was a little tot starting primary school.

“Why didn’t Nanna come?” Ruby said. I took the salt shaker from her fiddling fingers before she tipped it everywhere.

“Because Nanna says fried food gives her wind.”

Ruby pulled a face. “Nanna’s farts stink like eggs.”

“
Your
farts stink like eggs,” Mia said. “Rotten ones.”

“Do not!”

“They so do.”

“I don’t even fart!” Ruby protested.

“You’re always farting! Stinky bum! Nanna’s bum’s got nothing on yours!”

“Shut your face, Mia-stink-a-lot!”

Mia’s expression changed in a heartbeat, her smile shrivelling to nothing. Her shoulders slumped, her eyes down. I felt it right in the pit of my stomach.

“Ruby!” I snapped. “That’s enough. Apologise to your sister.”

“Sorry,” Ruby mumbled. “It’s true, though! They
do
call her Mia-stink-a-lot!”

“And
they
are stupid little twerps who should know better, Ruby.
You
should know better.”

“Sorry,” she said again, and this time she meant it.

Mia shrugged but didn’t smile. I could feel her sadness in my heart.

“Mia…” I began, but the first of the plates arrived. I grabbed a knife and fork, cut up Ruby’s sausage before she sent bits flying in all directions.

Tonya put a hand on Mia’s shoulder. “Don’t listen to idiots, Mia. There are plenty of them around. You’re beautiful, and you smell lovely.” She dipped her bread in her egg.

“It’s Tyler Dean and his stupid friends,” Mia said. “He’s a moron.”

“I think Tyler Dean should watch his mouth,” Tonya said. “He’ll regret ever opening it if your dad finds out.”

Mia’s eyes widened for just a moment. She spooned up some baked beans and didn’t say another word.

Ruby was grinning as she speared a piece of sausage. “Dad would punch Tyler Dean right in his stupid mouth! Pow, pow, pow!”

“Your father won’t be punching
anyone
in the mouth,” I said. I shot Tonya a look.

She took my cue. “Oh no,” she said. “Your dad isn’t gonna be punching anyone, Ruby.”

Ruby actually looked disappointed. I worry about her sometimes.

“I wish he would,” Mia said, and it was so out of character I dropped my cutlery. She caught my expression and tried to laugh off her comment, but it was too late. So much for the
it’s no big deal, Mum
line she’d been giving me for weeks.

I opted to let it slide until we were back at home. I met Tonya’s eyes and she read my intention, made a couple of
yum
noises and said how good the bacon was.

Lorraine delivered another rack of toast. She looked me over with a smile.

“You look tired. Late night?”

Tonya answered for me. “We went out,” she said. “Girls’ night. Late. Just for a couple.”

Lorraine let out an exaggerated groan. “Girls’ night?! And where was my invite? I haven’t been out for ages.”

I felt like such a fraud. A dirty stop out. “It was only a last minute thing,” I said. “Nothing major.”

“Some other time,” Lorraine said. “Don’t go having all the fun without me!”

I saw Tonya’s eyes light up. “Next weekend!” she said. “Let’s hit the town, all three of us.”

I tried to protest but Lorraine was straight on it. “That works for me,” she said.

“Jodie?” Tonya asked. “Come on! It’ll be fun. Trent’s having the girls, no?”

Well, he was… but…

“It’ll be fun!” Lorraine said. “Nothing like a few drinks and bit of dancing to let your hair down.”

They both stared at me, smiles too big to ignore.

“Alright,” I said. “I’ll drive, though.”

“Oh no you won’t!” Tonya said. “We’ll get a taxi, do it properly.”

“A taxi,” Lorraine said. “Definitely! You have to drink with us, Jodie.”

I sighed, smiled back at them. I hadn’t hit the town in years, couldn’t even imagine it. Then again, I wouldn’t have imagined myself paying for a five-man gangbang a few weeks back, either. “Alright. You’ve twisted my arm.”

“We’re on!” Lorraine said. “Saturday night, dress to impress.”

At least these days I had something vaguely impressive to dress in. Maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

The village was busy when we piled out of the cafe. Tonya lit up a cigarette and I rubbed my bloated tummy, and together we stood at the roadside contemplating our next move.

Mia stepped away from us as a Skype call came in from Daisy, and Ruby was a few metres away checking out a posh silver Audi parked next to the kerb. Neither were in earshot. Not if we were quiet.

“You gonna tell him?” Tonya said. “About this Mia stuff?”

I’d been waiting for it. “No,” I said. “The last thing we need is Darren blowing a fuse and going after some high school kid.”

“Tyler Dean’s hardly a kid, Jo. He turned sixteen a few weeks back, saw the announcement in the paper. His mum’s the redhead from Abbey Dore tearooms. You know the one I mean. Annoying laugh.” She gave an impression.

“Vaguely.”

“His dad lives over your way, Elmcroft. The house on the corner. Only has the lad at weekends.”

“You seem to know enough about them.”

She smiled. “You’re not the only one with the village A to Z committed to memory. I do work in the chippy, you know.” Tonya shrugged. “You should tell Trent. Might put an end to it. Kid’s upset, you can see it.”

I felt guilty. I should have seen it, should have seen through all Mia’s bravado. “I’ll go to the school,” I said. “Sort it out with the teachers. They’ll know what to do.”

“They’ll probably give him some counselling, ask him nicely not to be such a naughty boy.”

“They’ll have policies,
procedures
,” I insisted. “They’ll know what they’re doing, they probably deal with this kind of shit all the time.”

Tonya wasn’t convinced. “He’s a local lad with local parents, doesn’t need the school to sort this crap out, Jo. Trent would sort it in five minutes flat. You know he would.”

“Yes,” I snapped. “And how, exactly? By kicking off? Giving the kid a slap? Mouthing off in front of the whole village?” I lowered my voice. “I’ve dealt with enough Darren Trent gossip
these past few weeks without another fresh load on top. I could do without it. So could the girls.”

She held up her hands. “Fair enough. It was just a thought.”

“I know,” I said. “Thanks. I appreciate the concern, I just…”

“It’s alright,” she said. “Handle it your way. I’m sure the school will sort it.”

I hoped so. The idea of more drama filled me with dread.

“A bit of peace would be nice,” I laughed. “Just a bit. A quiet life for a while.”

But there was no chance of that.

I heard a gruff voice barking out some choice words about a
rotten little vandal
. I turned on instinct, and sure enough the
vandal
was my freckle-faced daughter. She was facing up to the owner of the Audi – a skinny old posh guy in a suit. I didn’t know him.

I groaned and dashed over with Tonya behind me, grabbing Ruby by the arm before she could antagonise him any further.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “What’s going on?”

He was flummoxed, exasperated. Pissed off. “Your daughter kicked my car!” he snapped. “It’s disgraceful! You should keep her under control! Do you have any idea how much this car’s worth?!”

I looked at my
out of control
daughter. “Did you kick this man’s car, Ruby?”

“No!” she said. “I kicked his
tyres
!” She stared up at him with defiant eyes, then pointed to the back wheels. “Those tyres are balder than you are, mate.”

Oh Lord.

At least she didn’t use the C word.

I looked at him in horror, at his wispy excuse for a comb over. His eyes were piggy and too small for his face, and it really didn’t look like he was seeing the humour in it.

“I’m sorry,” I said again. “Her dad’s a mechanic. She likes to help.”

“By kicking people’s cars?” the man snapped. “Maybe her
dad
should teach her some manners then, ignorant little hooligan. No respect. No respect at all.”

I saw Tonya’s eyes widen, saw her stare behind me with an expression of horror.

“
I’m
her fucking dad,” Trent’s voice barked. “What’s going on here?”

Oh no
.

I turned on my heel, all ready to play pacifier.
No big deal, just a misunderstanding.
But Audi-
man answered before I could.

“Your
daughter kicked my car,” he snapped. “This is an
expensive
car, as you should well know, I don’t need
hooligans
kicking it.”